This invention relates to cigarette packs, and more particularly to cigarette packs in the form of boxes which may, for example, have radiused vertical edges.
Cigarette packs in the form of boxes are extremely well known. One of the most popular forms of such boxes has an outer member which includes a lower main portion in which the cigarettes stand vertically. The upper portion is a lid which is often (although not always) hinged to the back of the main portion so that the upper ends of the cigarettes are exposed when the lid is tipped back. Such boxes typically have an innerframe inside the main portion and which extends up from the main portion under the lid as it opens and closes. Although such boxes are standardly formed with right angled vertical edges, the vertical edges may be rounded/radiused.
One important function of the innerframe is to provide some interference with the lid as it opens and closes. This interference helps to keep the lid firmly and neatly closed and reduces the risk that the lid will open accidentally. However, the innerframe provides such interference mainly once the lid is beginning to open beyond a certain amount. The innerframe does not always provide interference initially. Hence the lid may not always remain completely closed with the bottom edges of the lid resting directly on the top edges of the outer member lower main portion of the box. It is desirable for the lid to remain completely closed for the sake of appearance and neatness (e.g., so that any loose tobacco remains within the box).
The provision of retention means which retain the lid in a completely closed position has previously been accomplished through use of means such as a tab member extending substantially perpendicular to the plane of a wall of the innerframe, thereby interfering with the lid member. Such a tab member is generally formed from the standard innerframe blank such that when the tab is extended perpendicular to a wall, a cutout area remains where the tab originally had been. Furthermore, such retention means are generally formed at the front right-angled vertical edges of the innerframe. In the case of a box with rounded/radiused vertical edges, the vertical edges are rounded/radiused by multiple scoring of the blank, and the additional formation of such retention means may be difficult or impossible.
It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a retention means which retains the lid in completely closed position on a cigarette box.
It is another object of this invention to provide a retention means formed from a standard blank, i.e., which does not require a deviation from the standard shape of a blank, yet does not leave a cutout area once it is moved into retaining position away from the plane of the blank from which it is formed.
It is yet another object of this invention to provide a retention means which is formed within the boundaries of the walls of an innerframe instead of along the vertical edges of an innerframe to facilitate formation of such retention members on boxes with rounded/radiused vertical edges.